Deep Water Your Citrus

This has been an exceedingly dry Fall and if you have Citrus trees, you should consider deep watering. Extended drought during the bearing and sizing stage can cause Citrus to drop fruit due to stress. The best way to stop this is deep watering. Place your hose at the base of your Citrus tree and turn on the water so that it is barely trickling out. Let the water run this way for one to two hours. Repeat this deep watering twice a week through this dry spell. Deep watering once or twice a week is much better than watering a little bit every day. If you only water for a few minutes each day, the root system will develop near the surface, whereas if you water deeply a few times per week, the root system will develop deeper and you will have a healthier tree.

Funky Fungus

A customer brought this fungus in for identification and it was so cool I wanted to share it with everyone. It's called "Bird's Nest" fungus and it typically grows on cow dung or decaying mulch. The "eggs" are actually the spores which are spread by raindrops falling into the "nest." They are harmless, but if you have these or any other fungus in your yard that you want to get rid of, simply sprinkle a little Hydrated Lime over them and they will dry up.

It's Finally Fall!

Fall has finally arrived and we are ready with all your fall decorating needs. The mums are gorgeous and we have pumpkins and bales of wheat straw. Come enjoy the beautiful weather with us!

End of Summer Sale

Greetings from the Island. It's been a long, hot summer, but Fall will be here before you know it. Come help us clear out the old to make room for the new. We have a big selection of plants on sale throughout the nursery. Fall is the ideal time of year for planting and transplanting. Come on in and get some great deals.

Got Milkweed?

Do you want to attract more butterflies to your garden? If so, you should plant Butterfly Milkweed. This tough and easy perennial loves sun and reseeds easily. Milkweed is the larval food for Swallowtail Butterfly caterpillars. The butterfly will lay eggs on the plant and the caterpillars will hatch and eat until they are ready to make a cocoon. Every year the plant will come back and so will the butterflies. Other butterfly attractors include Lantana, Pentas, Parsley, and Fennel.

The Heat Is On!

Summer has arrived in Savannah. The heat and humidity will spawn all sorts of problems in your lawn and garden. Fungus will be rampant and I suggest an application of fungicide to your lawn to keep it under control. Watch plants for signs of fungus and treat as needed. If you aren't sure, bring a sample of the infected plant in to the store and we can make a diagnosis. Watch for bad bugs. I've seen lots of mealy bugs recently. They look like fluffy white cotton on the stalks of the plant. Knock them off with water or spray with a lightweight horticultural oil. Keep fertilizing your flowering plants, especially hanging baskets and containers, with a liquid fertilizer. We recommend ferti-lome Rooting and Blooming.

Don't Bug Out!

I have had a few worried customers bring me jars full of these little striped bugs. They are called Barklice and they are harmless to both you and your plants. There is no need to spray them. Barklice eat lichen and decaying plant material. When they hatch out there can be hundreds of them swarming around on things. You may also notice a fine white webbing on the trunks of the trees that looks like a white stocking has been pulled over them. This is their protective house. They won't hurt anything and will go away on their own.

Garden Expo

Sorry about the delay on the posts, we've been really busy here at the store. We just wrapped up the Garden Expo at the Roundhouse. This is our second year competing in the Expo. You may remember our pirate ship from last year. This year, the theme was "Going and Growing Green." We decided to use all found materials for our "Homegrown" garden. An old potting table became a shady porch and old tin roofing became planters that we filled with veggies, herbs, fruit and butterfly and bee attracting flowers. We had lots of fun, but it was lots of work and we're glad to be done.

We are bustin at the seams!

We have tons of beautiful plants in stock! Way too many to list. Calladiums, Hibiscus, Bougainvillea, Plumbago, Daisy Shrubs, Loropetalum, Passion Flower Vine... the list goes on. If you are wondering what those hot pink flowering shrubs are that are blooming all over town, they are Loropetalum, or Fringe Flower. They are a great evergreen shrub for sun. You may also be seeing a yellow flowering vine in the woods; this is a Carolina Jessamine. The trees with white flowers are flowering pears. Come on in and let us help you brighten up your garden!

Spring has Sprung!

It finally looks like spring at Hester & Zipperer. We have some beautiful plants with lots of color. Spring annuals are here including Petunias, Begonias, Impatiens, and Alyssum. The Geraniums are gorgeous and we have tons of fresh hanging baskets. We also have a big selection of veggies and herbs so come get your spring on!

Let's get to it!

Hello to everyone! If you're like me, you're ready for some warm weather. Well, I think we're finally going to get some. It's been a long, cold winter and I think we could all use some quality time outside. Here at the Wilmington Island Hester & Zipperer we're gearing up for Spring. The plants are really starting to roll in. We are stocked up on fruit trees for those of you who want to grow your own. We also have tomatoes, peppers, strawberries, seed potatoes, and onions. Squash and zucchini plants will be here soon. If you haven't prepared your vegetable beds for spring now is the time. Work in some compost, hydrated lime, and triple superphosphate before you plant. We will have a free veggie gardening workshop here on Sunday, March 21st at 2:00pm so mark your calendar.

Got Grass?

It's time to start thinking about the lawn, so if you have one read on. Mid February through mid March is the time for spring weed control. We recommend an application of liquid Atrazine. Atrazine is a selective herbicide with good cool weather performance. It is both a pre and post emergent weed killer. This means that it will kill most weeds that are already up and it will stop seeds from germinating for about 2-3 months so it helps keep weeds at bay through the spring greenup. Atrazine will not hurt your grass, but it doesn't know that shrubs and flowers aren't weeds so use caution when spraying. You can spray it on the ground under shrubs and trees just don't get it on the leaves. Atrazine does not kill weeds overnight, so give it up to 2 weeks to see results. We carry liquid Atrazine in a one quart bottle that will cover 3,720 square feet for $7.99. You cannot use it once temperatures are staying consistently above 85, so now is the time to take advantage of this product. If you plan to use a hose end sprayer, you must be able to adjust the dilution rate, so if you aren't sure just bring your sprayer into the store so we can set it for you. We also carry a fabulous sprayer that takes all the guesswork out of mixing. We will be happy to answer any questions you may have.

If you haven't limed your yard recently, now is the time to do that too. Pelletized lime is $4.99 for a 40lb bag. Lime raises the pH of your soil so the grass can absorb nutrients better.

The next step you will take for your lawn will be to apply a granular Weed and Feed. We recommend waiting until St. Patrick's Day to start fertilizing because that's when the lawn is starting to green up. Fertilizing earlier is just feeding the weeds and it won't make your grass green up any sooner. We carry Weed and Feed for all types of grasses, so if you aren't sure what kind you have just bring us a sample when you come in so we can help you select the proper product.

Prune Your Knockout Roses

Now is the time to prune Knockout Roses. Cutting them back at this time of year will rejuvinate the plant and you will have thicker roses. Use a sharp pair of hand pruners or loppers and make your cuts just above where the lower branches start to divide off of the main stalks. Try to make your cuts at about a 45 degree angle so that water will roll off the cuts. You can also remove any dead branches completely. Fertilize with a granular rose food and water it in. In a few weeks you will see lots of new growth and before you know it your Knockouts will be full and lush.

Valentine's Day means it's time to prune

Well it's that time of year again, Valentine's Day, but it's not just for giving roses and candy, it's time for pruning too. Here in Coastal Georgia mid February through mid March is the ideal time to prune most of the shrubs and trees in your landscape. I've added a link in our Useful Links to a great article from the University of Georgia Extension Service on proper pruning. If you have questions or just feel terrified at the thought of taking on that overgrown tree or shrub on your own, come in and talk to me at the Island store. I love pruning and will be happy to answer any questions you may have. And please, don't chop your Crepe Myrtles to stubs.

Hello again.

Hello everyone, it's been a while. We haven't been posting since Christine left to have a baby, but I'm taking over now so I'll try to keep it up to her standards. (it's me, Mary Ann, you know, the girl with all the tattoos) Anyway, welcome back. We've been busy at the store this winter doing some painting and rearranging and it really looks great. I'm getting spring fever and I hope you are too. We are starting to stock up for spring and new plants are starting to roll in. Fruit trees are here, as are Geraniums and tomatos. We've got some beautiful plants for Valentine's Day too, so stop in and check it out.

Seeds & Weeds Holds Meeting at Wilmington Island Store

Seeds & Weeds held their October meeting at the Wilmington Island Hester & Zipperer on Monday night, and it went off without a hitch. I gave a talk on Responsible Pest Management, but we all left time to gobble delicious refreshments too!

Visit Our Skidaway Store For Breakfast In The Garden

This Saturday, October 17th, visit the Skidaway Road Hester & Zipperer for a complimentary breakfast in the nursery! Enjoy delicious food and activities. Katherine will be giving a talk on Fall borders and Lisa will answer the top ten questions on Winter gardening.

Give Your Next Garden Club Meeting A New Spin

Hester & Zipperer on Wilmington Island Wants Your Club

We invite the garden clubs in our area to schedule a meeting to be held at our store! Not only will we provide an informative talk, but your members will also receive 10% off any purchases made that evening (Excludes pine straw and propane).

Here's The Skinny
Meetings are to be held between 7-9PM.

Garden Clubs are responsible for providing members to help set up and clean up.

Hester & Zipperer will provide a speaker on a topic to be determined between the
club and the speaker.

Meeting must be scheduled at least 30 days in advance.

Please call 897-5581 and speak with Mary-Ann or Christine to schedule your event.

Don't Miss Our Free Fall Vegetable Gardening Workshop

Come by the Hester & Zipperer on Wilmington Island this Saturday and learn why a cool-season vegetable garden is perfect for even newbie gardeners. The class is free and participants will receive a discount associated with the class topic.

We're glad to see so many of you returning to your garden activities now that the weather has cooled ever so slightly. We've gotten some new plants to inspire. For those of you looking for some unique mixed containers or hanging baskets, try combining Diamond Frost Euphorbia, Coral Red Trailing Verbena, and purple Sweet Potato Vine. This sunny combo would also be gorgeous spilling out of a window box. Snap Dragons will be in tomorrow, and they are perfect for those looking to put something in that will last all through the Winter. Mix with Ponytail Ferns for a cold-hardy container.

One of the most underused categories of plants is grasses. They are perfect for accenting containers and beds, but grasses can also be used without any flowers at all for a stunning display. They offer structure, drama, and low maintenance. Simply add some slow-release nitrogen like blood meal in the soil and groom occasionally to keep them looking their best.

Shrubs and trees can be put in now. Many of you are working on privacy screens. This can be so much more interesting than a line of plants. Let us help you select plants of various textures and sizes that compliment each other. We can also suggest soil amendments to help them get established faster.

There have been a lot of bug questions lately, and we're always happy to educate people on responsible pest management. One of the most interesting came from a gentleman struggling with caterpillars on his Cabbage Palm. After a bit of searching, I learned that it was the Palm Skeletonizer, Homaledra sabalella. Most sites suggest Dipel Dust or Carbaryl on this stubborn pest. Dipel is a biological control and has the advantage of only killing caterpillars.

Got some news to share? Let us know what's happening in your yard? Email us photos to share on our blog at hesterandzipperer@hotmail.com